Survey

In Rwanda and Nepal, the case study countries in which the HEED project is being undertaken, refugees and displaced people do not have access to sufficient energy to fulfil their basic needs and live fulfilling, safe and productive lives. The first step in addressing these problems is to understand the energy needs, priorities and aspirations of the communities in which the HEED project is working.

One of the most important methodological tools developed to inform the design interventions associated with the HEED project is a detailed quantitative survey of three different groups of energy users:

–households living in different parts of the camps / settlement;

–entrepreneurs running small businesses within the camps and settlements in which we are working; and

–those responsible for community facilities such as schools and health clinics.

The survey was designed and delivered by our research partner Practical Action. The survey was delivered in March and April 2018 with the support of community enumerators employed within each setting. More than 1,000 survey interviews were undertaken in total. The majority of interviews were undertaken across three refugee camps in Rwanda with a smaller, but nonetheless substantial, number of interviews undertaken in the IDP settlements in Nepal.

HEED energy surveys undertaken in Rwanda

Focal group

Gihembe

Kigeme

Nyabiheke

Total

Households

212

204

211

627

Enterprises

64

54

37

155

Community facilities

12

12

15

39

Total

288

270

263

821

HEED energy surveys undertaken in Nepal

Focal group

Uttargaya

Bhogate Tar

Indreni Chaur

Battar

Total

Households

87

40

33

21

181

Enterprises

7

4

7

0

18

Community facilities

1

1

1

0

3

Total

95

45

41

21

202

These results of the survey are currently being analysed and will enable the HEED project to assess current energy usages as well as energy needs and aspirations in the two countries. This analysis will, in turn, be used to inform the design of the most appropriate interventions to be implemented in Phase 2 of the project.

This research has been funded by the EPSRC Global Challenges Research Fund

(Grant N° EP/P029531/1)

The project has been granted ethical approval by Coventry University’s Research Ethics Committee
(Ref: P61091)